Gripping cable hanger and method of using

ABSTRACT

This invention has to do with a gripping cable hanger assembly system for the solar, mining, and electrical industry. The gripping cable hanger is comprised of a support wire gripping mechanism, cable carrier supports/receptacles, data carrier wire capability, space between said wire carriers with said wire comprising a shape retention material that may have a high dielectric, UV resistant coating thereon.

CONTINUING APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation application of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/149,098, filed May 7, 2016, entitledGRIPPING CABLE HANGER AND METHOD OF USING, which application is aContinuation-in-Part Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/556,117, filed on Nov. 29, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention has to do with a gripping cable hanger system for use inthe solar, mining, and electrical industries. In solar, mining, andelectrical industries there is a need for electrical cables to extendfrom a power or signal source to a location of application. Such cablesare usually indirectly connected and supported by an independent,structurally supported messenger wire that is strung along the plannedcable route. Solar plants comprise large arrays of solar panels spreadout over a large area. Solar panels collect the sun's rays causing adirect current to flow to direct current wires that are attached to thesolar panels and then the current flows to combiner boxes beforeextending further to power inverters. Along the same messenger wirealternating current power cables are used to power the motors thatcontrol the trackers, devices that rotate the solar panels to follow thesun in order to obtain maximum power during daylight hours.

Prior to 2014, AC and DC cables could be bundled immediately adjacentto, and touching, one another in a wire management system for the solarpanels. In the new National Electric Code of 2014, the AC and DC cablesmust not be immediately adjacent to one another, but must have a degreeof separation from one another. Power carrying cables have a tendency toinduce errors or interfere with the signal wires that are located inclose proximity to them.

This new requirement also applies to other applications outside thesolar power industry, such as the mining and electrical industries.

Because of the increased use of trackers in solar power plants, there isincreased use of category five cables and other data wiring. This typeof control wiring is used to give power plant operators feedback fromthe solar power plant array on what angles the panels are stationed, andwhat the proper angle should be to maximize power output from the sun.This data and information is constantly monitored to obtain maximumpower output from the thousands of solar panels in the solar powerplant. The type of wiring used in collecting data is sensitive to cablesused for AC and DC power and because of that sensitivity, data wiringcannot be bundled with power cables and must be supported by a separatecarrier that is at least 1 inch away from all power cables.

In solar power plants, mining and other electrical applications, thereare various sized wires and bundles of wires with an almost unlimitedvariety of wire bundle sizes. Bundle size is becoming very important inthe manufacture of hangers to accommodate these various sizes,especially in multiple carrier hangers.

In the past, cable hangers had small open loops or modified open loopsfor partial attachment to a messenger while loading the cables onto thehangers and the open loops allowed the partially hung hangers to easilyfall off the messenger wire if the hangers were bumped or hit the wrongway during the cable loading process. In a solar plant there is a recentmove to tracker systems which utilize more wiring than previously fixed,in place, systems and there is also the new NEC code which went intoeffect Jan. 1, 2014, which states that all AC and DC wiring must now beseparated in any hanging or support system. Because of these changes,the wire management systems are much more complex, especially given thevast number of wires involved in a utility scale solar power plant. Withthese changes, the hangers are initially installed on the messenger wireand the bundles of cables are loaded separately in the carrier orcarriers of the hanger. This process continues until all individualcables and bundles of cables are supported in the hangers. In theprocess of loading cables, the hangers are constantly bumped and jostledas they are loaded with bundles of cables. Prior styles of hangers thatmight have been used could easily fall off the messenger wire whenbumped if only hanging by one open loop during cable installation.

The new NEC code requires any cable support system to have supports thatare spaced at no greater than 30 inch intervals. This applies to cabletrays, hangers or all other types of cable support systems. The priorhangers with their open style loops can fall off easily duringinstallation and also could easily slide out of the desired 30 inchspacing when loading the cables. This is a more serious problem when youconsider that there are tens of thousands of hangers being installed inthe desert heat which can reach 120° F. Any wasted labor is a highadditional cost in this environment.

A major factor affecting labor costs during installation of cables ishow easily the electrician can load the cables and bundles of cables inthe hangers in the stifling heat of the desert where solar power plantsare usually located. Styles of cable hangers presently on the market caneasily swing from side to side as they are initially engaged andsuspended on the messenger wire requiring an electrician to take onehand and properly align the hanger in a 90° perpendicular orientation tothe messenger wire in order to load the cables or bundles of cables inthe hanger with the other hand. This two handed process of aligning thehanger increases the time necessary to load cables over the thousands offeet of messenger wire with the hangers on 12 inch centers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention has to do with a gripping solar hanger for supportingcables and other wires that are to be hung along a linear path andconduct electrical power and signals. The invention comprises a cablehanger formed of a shape retention wire which may or may not have acoating formed on the shape retention wire. At least two upwardlyopening cable support receptacles are formed with the shape retentionwire with each receptacle having a trough area and lateral sidesextending upwardly from each side of said trough area. Between thereceptacles there is formed a space referred to as a fissure which mayin some cases be upwardly opening with the fissure located intermediateof said receptacles and in some cases having a support abutment bottom.Support arms extend toward the center of the hanger from the twooutermost, lateral receptacle sides and separate and co-operatinggripping hooks are formed on inner distal ends of the support arms andextend toward one another. The hanger has a first uncompressed positionwith an opening between the gripper hooks and a second compressed statewith the eyes of the gripper hooks aligned in a co-planar adjacentrelationship so as to accommodate a messenger wire through both hooks.The eyes of said gripper hooks are sized so that whether coated oruncoated the eyes continually narrow toward the bend forming the hook sothat the eyes will have a resilient interference fit with the intendedsupport structure (the messenger wire). The shape retention wire ischosen from one of the group of mid to high tensile round galvanizedsteel, round stainless steel, flat rolled galvanized steel, flat rolledstainless steel, or aluminum. The shape retention wire may be bare orcoated with a plastisol coating which at the present time has athickness in the range of from 50 mil to 100 mils inches thick, althoughother thicknesses may be employed. Other coatings such as rubber orplastic based coating may also be utilized. The shape retention wire mayalso have a coating having a flame retardant, high dielectric grade, UVinhibited material.

The present invention also contemplates the method of hanging a cablefrom a carrier wire which comprises forming a shape retention wire sothat it has at least two upwardly opening cable support receptacles withlateral sides. An intermediate fissure is then formed with lateral sidesbetween two of the cable support receptacles with the lateral sides ofthe cable support receptacles forming the lateral sides of the fissure.Support arms are then formed that extend inwardly and upwardly from thehangers' outermost lateral sides and open eye-hooks are formed on theinnermost ends of said arms such that in an uncompressed state of theshape retention wire the hooks have a spaced apart position relative toone another and in a compressed state the eyes of the hooks have alignedco-planar relationship with one another. The final step is coating thewire with a protective material of a thickness to provide the eye-hooksa gripping frictional fit with a support wire.

The solar gripping hanger system according to the present invention alsoincludes the option of a total or partial coating of PVC, plastisol, orother style coating on the shape retention wire. The PVC coating is ahigh dielectric grade and flame retardant. The coating has UV inhibitorsfor the more demanding environments of solar power plants in desertlocations and for improved performance and highly corrosiveenvironments. The total PVC coating on the gripping solar cable hangerassembly provides additional corrosion resistance and protection ofcables; it also adds stability by providing a more secure grip of thetop attachment loops to the messenger wire. A totally PVC coated singleor multiple gripping solar hanger assembly is also easier to handle andinstall with a heavy 50 to 100 mil inch thick PVC coating over theentire surface. The PVC coating is 50 to 100 mils inch thick which alsohas the added benefit of providing cushioning for the hands whensqueezing installing the cable hanger on the messenger wire. Thisbenefit improves efficiency by allowing more cable hangers to beinstalled and significantly reduces the fatigue factor of the hand.

Materials used for the cable hangers include high tensile spring steelsuch as class 3 galvanized steel, copper clad steel, type 316 stainlesssteel, aluminum, or other material with similar characteristics. All thematerials above can be 0.100 to 0.250 inch diameter such as the hightensile spring steel, round or rolled flat wire form. These high qualitymaterials provide maximum strength with a smooth, round or flat surfacefor the support of cables and rounded edges for the protection of cablejackets. The high tensile wire provides a tight gripping action on themessenger wire to hold the hanger securely.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable supportsystem that can be easily installed and remain captive on the messengerwire during installation of cables thereby improving efficiency of laborin the solar, mining, and electrical industries.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a cable supportsystem that maintains the position of the hanger at a specified spacingon the messenger wire to improve the quality and efficiency of cableinstallations.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable supportsystem that will consistently maintain a cable hanger in the proper 90°orientation to the messenger wire for ease of loading cables and cablebundles by electricians.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new safe and moreefficient hanger system for the solar, mining, and electricalindustries.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new multiple cablehanger system for the solar, mining, and electrical industries.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new hanger systemthat greatly reduces installation labor time for the solar, mining, andelectrical industries.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a moreorganized system to support cables in the solar, mining, and electricalindustries.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cablesupport system that provides a safer, secure, strong, and effectiveseparation of cables and wires so as to protect the electricalperformance of cables in the solar, mining and electrical applications.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stronger,more corrosion resistant cable management system for the solar, mining,and electrical industries.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a moreflexible cable management system for multiple bundles of cables ofdifferent sizes for the solar, mining, and electrical industries.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safer cablemanagement system for communication, control and electrical cables forthe solar, mining, and electrical industries.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aninexpensive hanger for the solar, mining, and electrical industries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the coated gripper cable hanger according tothe present invention.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a modified cable hanger shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the coated gripper cable hanger according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the coated gripper cable hanger accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the coated gripper cable hanger accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the coated gripper cable hanger according tothe present invention.

FIG. 6 is a rearview of the coated gripper cable hanger according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is an environmental perspective of the coated gripper cablehanger.

FIG. 8 is an environmental perspective of the present hanger as appliedto a messenger wire.

FIG. 9 is an environmental perspective view of the cable hanger in use.

FIG. 10 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 is an environmental perspective of the alternative cable shownin FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a second alternative embodiment of thepresent invention, uncoated.

FIG. 12A is a cross-section taken on the line 13A-13A of FIG. 12.

FIG. 12B is a variation of FIG. 12A, depicting the flat wire as beingcoated.

FIG. 12C is a variation of FIG. 12A, depicting the flat wire as beingplastic coated.

FIG. 12D is a variation of FIG. 12A, depicting the wire as being roundand uncoated.

FIG. 12E is a variation of FIG. 12A, depicting the wire is being roundand surface coated.

FIG. 12F is a variation of FIG. 12A, depicting the wire is being roundand plastic coated.

FIG. 13 is an environmental perspective of the alternative cable shownin FIG. 12, in use.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a third alternative embodiment according tothe present invention.

FIG. 15 is an environmental perspective of the hanger depicted in FIG.14, in use.

FIG. 16 is a front view of a fourth alternative embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 17 is an environmental perspective of the unit shown in FIG. 16, inuse.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

What is shown in FIG. 1 is a front view of the coated gripper cablehanger 10 according to the present invention. The hanger 10 is comprisedof a shape retention wire 12 that has a coating 14 adhered thereto. Thegripping hanger 10 has at least two upwardly opening cable supportreceptacles shown in 16 and 18 with each having a trough area shown at20 and 22.

Lateral sides 24 and 26 extend upwardly from the trough area shown at 20to form the upwardly opening receptacle 16 and lateral sides 28 and 30extend upwardly from the trough area 22 to form the upwardly openingreceptacle shown at 18. A fissure 32 is formed having an abutmentsupport surface 34 formed with upwardly extending lateral sides 36 and38 with lateral side 38 having a juncture 40 with lateral side 26 andlateral side 36 having a juncture 42 with lateral side 28. At the top ofthe lateral side 24 there is a bend 44 that joins a first support arm 46that extends towards the center of the hanger 10. On the opposite sideof the hanger 10 is lateral side 30 which extends upwardly to a juncture48 and adjoins a second support arm 50 that extends upwardly and towardsthe center of the hanger 10. At the central innermost end of firstsupport arm 46 is a hook 52 formed by bending tip 54 of the shaperetention wire 12 back along a line substantially parallel to thecenterline of support arm 46. An eye 56 is then formed by hook 52 whichwill be sized so as to fit snugly around a support wire to be mentionedlater. In a similar fashion, a hook 58 is formed by bending the tip 60of the shape retention wire 12 backwards along the line substantiallyparallel to the centerline of second support arm 50. In this way eye 62is formed that has a similar dimensions to eye 56. Tip 60 extendsoutwardly of the center of the hanger 10 until it forms a loop 63 bybending tip 64 of shape retention wire 12 back so that tip 64 pointstoward the center of hanger 10. The loop 63 has an eye 66 that will actas a support for a signal wire.

The eye at 66 is loose fitting which allows the signal wire to beslipped in and out of eye without interference. The hanger 10 shown inFIG. 1 is in an uncompressed state. “Uncompressed state” means that theoutermost lateral sides 24 and 30 of the hanger 10 have no forces actinginwardly on them and hanger 10 is in a ““free” state with hooks 56 and58 separated from one another and the shape retention wire 12 is in itsnatural state to which it will try and return when no forces are actingon it. The hanger 10 is made, and sometimes sized, so that a person maysqueeze the outermost lateral sides 24 and 30 towards one another insuch a manner to make the eye 56 of hook 52 line up with the eye 62 ofhook 58 around a support wire with the shape retention feature of wire12 providing an expansion force when released to hold the hooks 52 and58 securely in place on a support wire. An operator using the hanger 10will first place hook 58 around a support wire. This hook 58 has a tightfriction fit hook eye 62 to hold it from moving on the support wire 78while being loaded. The hook 58 has the extension so as to stay in placeduring loading and so it is usually installed first on the support wire.While the hanger 10 is supported by hook 58 on a support wire, cables 74and 76 may be loaded into the upwardly opening receptacle 16 and 18 sothat the cable's rest on the troughs 16 and 18 and electrical cablessuch as 74 and 76 may be strung down through the fissure 32 and rest onthe abutment support surface at 34. With the cables and electrical wirebus loaded onto the hanger 10 the outwardly lateral sides 24 and 30 ofhanger 10 may be squeezed together so that the second of the hooks 52may engage around a support wire and then be left to expand so that thehooks 52 and 58 thinly secure the hanger 10 on a support wire. A featureof the hanger 10 is that the eye 56 of hook 52 and eye 62 of hook 58 arecoated in such a manner that there is an interference or friction fitwith the support wire (not shown).

What is shown in FIG. 1A is the same hanger as is shown in FIG. 1 butwith the alternative configuration of having an elongated tip 60 nowshown as 60A with associated tip 64A, bend 63A and eye 66A.

What is shown in FIG. 2 is a top view of the coated gripper cable hanger10 according to the present invention. On the one side of gripper cablehanger 10 is shown the tip 64 on the tip 60 which is on the upper part58 on arm 50 (not shown). Shown in the middle of gripper hanger 10 inFIG. 2 are portions of the junctures 42 and 40 shown adjacent to theabutment surface 34 at the bottom of fissure 32 shown in FIG. 1. On theright-hand side of FIG. 2 is shown a support arm 46 that extendsinwardly from the lateral side 24 shown in FIG. 1. What is shown in FIG.3 is a left side view of the coated gripper cable hanger 10 according tothe present invention. Gripper cable hanger 10 is shown with tip 64formed on tip 60 which itself is the tip of support arm 50 shown in FIG.1 with its lateral side 30 shown extending to the lowermost portion ofhanger 10.

What is shown in FIG. 4 is a right side view of the coated gripper cablehanger 10 according to the present invention. Gripper cable hanger 10 isshown with the tip 52 forming a part of the eye 56 shown in FIG. 1.Lateral side 24 is shown with bend 44 joining the support arm 46 thatextends towards the center of the gripper hanger 10.

What is shown in FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the coated gripper cablehanger 10 according to the present invention. Gripper cable hanger 10 isshown having a wire bend 68 forming the bottom of “upwardly” openingreceptacle 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 70 being the bottom bend forming theupwardly facing receptacle 16 shown in FIG. 1; a bottom bend 72 formsthe abutment surface for abutment surface 34 shown in FIG. 1.

What is shown in FIG. 6 is a rear view of the coated gripper cablehanger 10 according to the present invention having all the features asshown and described in FIG. 1.

What is shown in FIG. 7 is an environmental perspective of the coatedgripper cable hanger 10 according to the present invention. The hanger10 is shown supporting cables 74 and 76 while hung on a messenger wire78. A signal wire 80 is shown carried in the eye 66 of the loop 63 and athird cable 82 is shown carried on the abutment support surface 34 andis spaced a required distance from cables 74 and 76 so as not tointerfere with the electronic transmissions. The upwardly openingreceptacle 16 with lateral sides 24 and 26 is shown; supporting cables74 lateral side 24 extends upward to the bend 44 joins lateral side 24to the inwardly extending support arm 46 on the end of support arm 46 isa hook 52 which has eye 56 that grips the messenger wire 78. The eye 56,along with the chosen coating 14 thereon, forms a friction fit with thediameter of the messenger wire 78 so as to resist the eye 56 fromslipping one way or the other down the messenger wire 78. On the otherside of the gripper hanger 10 is shown the upwardly opening receptacle18 having lateral sides 28 and 30 surrounding and supporting the cables76. The lateral side 30 extends upwardly to the bend at 48 which joinsthe arm 50 with lateral side 30. Support arm 50 is shown with eye 62formed on hook 58. The eye 62 of the hook 58 has a coating 14 thereonsuch that it also forms a frictional fit with the diameter of the guywire 78 to resist the hook 58 from sliding back and forth along thelength of the guy wire 78. FIG. 7 also shows the eye 66 of the loop 63that carries the signal wire 80 on the hanger 10. Shown between theupwardly opening receptacle 16 and 18 is a fissure 32 having lateralsides 36 and 38 forming at the bottom and abutment support surface 34for supporting the cable 82. It should be noted that in its naturalstate the gripper hanger 10 is shown in FIG. 1 with the hooks 52 and 58separated by a spaced apart distance to engage the gripper hanger 10with the messenger wire 78 and the operator may grip one of the lateralsides 24 or 30 and engage eye 62 of hook 58 with the messenger wire 78.Once the eye 62 of hook 58 is engaged with the messenger wire 78 lateralside 24 and therefore support arm 46 may be compressed until hook 52 ispassed under the messenger wire 78 and is able to be rotated upwards sothat when the gripper hanger 10 is released when the lateral sides 24and 30 of the gripper hanger 10 are released, hook 52 will then engagethe messenger wire 78. At this point, the eyes 62 of hook 58 and the eye56 of hook 52 will be in a coplanar alignment with both hooksfractionally gripping the messenger wire 78 and the normal expansionforce of the shape retention wire 12 will act to hold the hooks 52 and58 in place until manually disengaged.

What is shown in FIG. 8 is an environmental perspective of the presenthanger 10 as applied to a telephone or messenger wire or cable 78. Thegripper hanger 10 is shown attached the messenger wire 78 by a hook 58on the support arm 50. A second gripper hanger 10 is also shown attachedto messenger wire 78 in the same fashion, but as shown in FIG. 8, thelateral sides 24 and 30 of gripper hanger 10 have not yet beencompressed and the hooks 58 can first engage the messenger wire 78. Themethod of stringing the cables 74, 76, 80 and 82 shown in FIG. 7 ispartially shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Multiple gripper hangers 10 are placedin their open position as shown in FIG. 8 at spaced apart distancesalong the messenger wire 78. The operator may then string the cables 74,76, or 82 by bringing the cables lengthwise along the length of themessenger wire 78 and placing the respective cables 74, 76 and 82 intheir respective upwardly facing receptacles 16 or 18 and the abutmentsupport surface 34.

What is shown in FIG. 9 is an environmental perspective view of thegripper hanger 10 showing its second closed position after loading thecables 74, 76, and 82 as described in FIG. 8. The gripper hangers 10 areshown having the lateral sides 24 and 30 compressed so that the hooks 52and 58 are engaged with the messenger wire 78 and hold the gripperhangers 10 in a closed position supporting cables 74, 76 and 82. Asignal wire 80 is shown as being strung along the length of themessenger wire 78 by going through the loop 63 on hook 58 of arm 50.

What is shown in FIG. 10 is a front view of an alternative embodiment ofthe gripper hanger 10 according to the present invention. In thisembodiment all the features described in FIG. 1 stay the same except forthe original hook 52 and its tip 54. Tip 52 is now been elongated anddesignated as 84 and has a bend 86. The bend 86 is now provided with alonger length than the original hook 52 until it forms another bend 86having a tip 88 formed thereon and a further receptacle 90 is now formedby the bend 86. A further cable 92 is shown being supported by the bend86 in FIG. 11.

What is shown in FIG. 11 is an environmental perspective of thealternative gripper cable 10 shown in FIG. 10. The features of thegripper cable 10 are the same as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 except for anadditional cable 92 shown being carried in the receptacle 90.

What is shown in FIG. 12 is a front view of an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention in a gripper hanger 100. The gripper hanger 100 isformed of a flat rolled, shape retention wire 102 and has outer lateralsides 104 and 106. Lateral side 104 has a corresponding inner lateralside 108 to form an upwardly facing cable receptacle 110 having anabutment support surface 112 on the bottom thereof for supporting acable. Gripper hanger 100 has an inner lateral side 114 correspondingwith the outer lateral side 106 to form an upward facing cablereceptacle 116 with a cable support surface 118 for supporting a cable.The gripper hanger 100 has support arms 120 and 122 extending inwardlytoward the center of the hanger 100 from the outer lateral sides 104 and106 respectively. Support arm 120 joins the outer lateral side 104 bybend 124 and the inwardly extending arm support arm 122 joins thelateral outer lateral side 106 at bend 126. On the innermost end ofsupport arm 120 is found hook 128 formed by a bend 130 in the supportarm 120 and having an eye 132 in the hook 128 for gripping a messengerwire 78 (not shown). On the opposite side of gripper hanger 100 is thesupport arm 122, having a hook 134 formed on its innermost end by bend136 formed in the shape retention wire 102. Hook 134 has an eye 138 forgripping a messenger wire 78 (not shown). The solar gripper hanger 100has multiple cable receptacles 110 and 116 and provides a requiredspaced apart condition shown at 140 in FIG. 12.

What is shown in FIG. 12A is a cross-section taken on the line 12A-12Aof FIG. 12. Shape retention wire 100 is shown as uncoated. What is shownin FIG. 12B is a permutation of FIG. 12A, depicting the flat wire asbeing coated. Shape retention wire 100 is shown as having a coating 142covering the shape retention wire 102.

What is shown in FIG. 12C is a permutation of FIG. 12A, depicting theflat shape retention wire 102 as having a plastic coating 144.

What is shown in FIG. 12D is a permutation of FIG. 12A, depicting theshape retention wire 102 as being round and uncoated.

What is shown in FIG. 12E is a permutation of FIG. 12A, depicting theshape retention wire 102 as being round and 142 surface coated.

What is shown in FIG. 12F is a permutation of FIG. 12A, depicting theshape retention wire 102 as being round and 144 plastic coated.

What is shown in FIG. 13 is an environmental perspective of thealternative solar gripper hanger 100 shown in FIG. 12. Messenger wire 78is shown having gripper cable hanger 100 attached thereto. In solargripper hanger 100 is shown attached to the messenger wire 78. Theupward facing receptacles 110 and 116 have cables 74 and 76 restingtherein and supported by the abutment surfaces 112 and 118; the upwardfacing receptacles 110 has lateral sides 104 and 108 and the upwardlyfacing receptacle 116 has sides 114 and 106. The outer lateral sides 104and 106 were compressed together so that the hooks 128 and 134 couldgrasp the messenger wire 78 and grip it firmly to hold it from slidinglengthwise along the messenger wire 78. The method of loading the cableswould, of course, entail first attaching solar gripper hanger 100 byeither one of hooks 128 or 134 and leaving the gripper hanger 100 in anopen position. While in this position, cables 74 and 76 can begin to beloaded into the upwardly facing receptacles 110 and 116. When the cables74 and 76 are so loaded an operator may grip the outer lateral sides 104and 106 of solar gripper hanger 100 and squeeze so that the unengagedhook 128 or 134 so that it passes under the messenger wire 78, at whichpoint it may be then rotated so that when the operator releases thetension on the shape retention wire 102 that the unengaged hook 128 or134 will spring into place and engage the messenger wire 78. With thesolar gripper hanger 100, a spaced apart distance 140 is providedbetween the cables 74 and 76.

What is shown in FIG. 14 is a front view of another alternativeembodiment of the solar gripper hanger according to the presentinvention. Shown in FIG. 14 is solar gripper hanger 150 formed of ashape retention wire 152 and having an outer lateral side 154 and anopposite lateral side 156 that forms an upwardly facing receptacle 158having a bottom support surface 160. In addition to the upwardly facingreceptacle 158, the solar gripper hanger 150 has a second upwardlyfacing receptacle 162 that has an outer lateral side 164 and an innerlateral side 166, with a bend in the bottom forming a cable supportsurface 168. Extending inwardly from the lateral sides 154 and 164 ofthe solar gripper hanger 150 are support arms 170 and 172, that at theirinnermost ends have bends 171 and 173. The bend 171 forms a hookformation 174 and the bend 173 forms a hook formation 176 with hook 176having a tip 180 formed thereon. The hook 174 has an extension 182 thatextends down to a bend 184 and bends backward to a tip 186. As can beseen, the hook 176 has an eye 186 and the hook 174 has a hook 188 forengaging a messenger wire (not shown). The bend at 184 provides thecable receptacle area 190 and a cable abutment surface 192 for carryingeven further cables on the solar gripper hanger 150.

What is shown in FIG. 15 is an environmental perspective of the solargripping hanger 150 depicted in FIG. 14. The solar gripper hanger 150 isshown in supporting cables 190, 192 and a signal wire 194. The grippingsolar hanger 150, as shown in FIG. 14, has lateral sides 154 and 156forming an upwardly facing receptacle 158 with a support surface 160 onthe bottom of the upwardly facing receptacle 158. Gripping solar hanger150 has a bend 196 that joins the lateral side 156 of upwardly facingreceptacle 158 to the lateral side 166 of the upwardly facing receptacle162. The upwardly facing receptacle 162 has lateral sides 164 and 166with a bottom support surface at 168 for supporting the cable 192. Thebend at 196 is fashioned to provide a correct separation between thecable receptacles 158 and 162 as required by the federal standards. Thehooks 174 and 176 are shown engaged with the messenger wire 78 and thebend 184 is shown providing the support surface 192 for the cable 194.

What is shown in FIG. 16 is a front view of another alternativeembodiment of a gripping solar hanger 200 according to the presentinvention. The gripping solar hanger 200 has a lateral side 202 and alateral side 204. The hanger 200 is made from a shape retention wire 201that is coated with a coating 203. The lateral sides 202 and 204 areeach showing inwardly extending arms 206 and 208, respectively, with theinwardly extending support arm 206 coming from the lateral side 202 andthe inwardly extending support arm 208 coming from the lateral side 204.The inwardly extending arm 208 terminates with the bend 210 in the shaperetention wire 201 and forms the hook 212 having the eye 214 of hook 212formed therein. The bend 210 provides hook 212 with an outwardlyextending portion 216 that has a further bend 218 and a tip 220. Thebend 218 forms a further cable receptacle area at 222 with a cablesupport surface at 224. On the other side of the hanger the inwardlyextending support arm 206 has a reverse bend 226 in the shape retentionwire 201 to form a hook 228 having an eye 230 for gripping a supportwire or messenger wire. The bend 226 then has an outwardly extendingportion 232 that extends out to a further bend 234 which provides aninwardly extending tip 236. The bend at 234 provides a cable supportarea 238 between the outwardly extending portion 232 and the tip 236.What is shown in FIG. 17 is an environmental perspective of the solargripping hanger 200 according to the present invention and as shown inFIG. 16. The solar gripping hanger 200 is shown with supporting multiplecables 240, 242 and 244. It is possible a cable 242 or 244 may be asignal wire instead of an actual cable. The gripping solar hanger 200has a lateral sides 202 and 204 compressed so that the hooks 212 and 228are engaged with the messenger wire 78 with the eyes 214 and 230gripping the messenger wire firmly. The gripping solar hanger 200 isshown in its compressed state with the shape retention wire 201 wantingto expand the lateral sides 202 and 204 outwardly and thereby clampingthe cable support hanger 200 firmly on the messenger wire 78.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cable hanger comprising: a shaperetention wire; a coating on said shape retention wire; at least twoupwardly opening cable support receptacles with each having a trougharea; wherein two of the at least two support receptacles are theoutermost support receptacles; wherein each outermost support receptaclehas an outermost lateral side extending upwardly from one side of saidtrough area; an upwardly opening fissure located intermediate of saidreceptacles, said fissure having a support abutment surface withupwardly extending lateral sides with said receptacles; a first supportarm extending toward the center of the hanger from one said outermostlateral receptacle side; a second support arm extending toward thecenter of the hanger from the other outermost lateral receptacle side;separate and co-operating hooks formed on each said support arms; saidhanger having a first uncompressed state with an opening between saidhooks and a second compressed state wherein said hooks are aligned in aco-planar adjacent relationship; and said first support arm hook sizedto have an interference fit with a messenger wire.
 2. The cable hangeraccording to claim 1 wherein said shape retention wire is chosen fromthe group of round galvanized steel, round stainless steel, flat rolledgalvanized steel, flat rolled stainless steel, round aluminum, and flataluminum.
 3. The cable hanger according to claim 1 wherein: said firstsupport arm hook sized to have an interference fit with a messenger wireincludes an eye with a bend; and wherein said eye continually narrowstoward the bend.
 4. The cable hanger according to claim 1 wherein saidsecond support arm hook is sized to have an interference fit with amessenger wire.
 5. The cable hanger according to claim 1 wherein saidcoating is at least one of a plastisol coating, a PVC coating, a flameretardant coating, a high dielectric grade coating, or a UV inhibitingmaterial.
 6. A cable hanger comprising: a shape retention wire; acoating on said shape retention wire; at least two upwardly openingcable support receptacles with each having a trough area and anoutermost lateral side extending upwardly from one side of said trougharea; an upwardly opening fissure located intermediate of saidreceptacles, said fissure having a support abutment surface withupwardly extending lateral sides with said receptacles; a support armextending toward the center of the hanger from each receptacle; separateand co-operating hooks formed on each of said support arms, said hooksextending toward one another, each hook including an eye; and saidhanger having a first uncompressed state with an opening between saidhooks and a second compressed state with the eyes of the hooks alignedin a co-planar adjacent relationship.
 7. The cable hanger according toclaim 6 wherein said shape retention wire from a group of roundgalvanized steel, round stainless steel, flat rolled galvanized steel,or flat rolled stainless steel.
 8. The cable hanger according to claim 6wherein: each said support arm hook is sized to have a snug fit with amessenger wire.
 9. The cable hanger according to claim 6 wherein: eachsaid support arm hook includes a bend; and wherein said eye continuallynarrows toward the bend.
 10. The cable hanger according to claim 6wherein said coating is at least one of a plastisol coating, a PVCcoating, a flame retardant coating, high dielectric grade coating, or aUV inhibiting material.